"Bone Fractures and Skin Graft Surgery, Life Shattered"... Dog Bite Incident in Sacheon, Gyeongnam

"Dog Owner's Lukewarm Attitude... Remarks Like 'Should the Dog Be Held Responsible?'"

Dog bite incident occurred in Gonmyeong-myeon, Sacheon-si, Gyeongnam.
Photo by Online Community Capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Seohyun] A middle-aged woman suffered severe injuries, including a broken bone, after being bitten by a Jindo dog. The victim underwent hospital treatment for about a month and a half but is reportedly still suffering from aftereffects.

On the 28th, a post titled "One person's life was shattered by a dog bite accident" was published on the online community 'Bobae Dream' bulletin board.

According to Mr. A, who identified himself as the child of the victim, on August 12th around 1 p.m., his mother was bitten on the arm by a Jindo dog on the roadside in front of a vinyl greenhouse located in Gonmyeong-myeon, Sacheon-si, Gyeongnam Province.

In the CCTV footage shared by Mr. A, his mother is seen walking out of the vinyl greenhouse and encountering a dog. When she stepped back a few steps, the dog suddenly lunged and bit her. Although she fell, the dog bit her more aggressively. Eventually, she was covered in blood and transported to the hospital.

Mr. A stated, "My mother was bitten on the neck, legs, right arm, and left arm by the dog," adding, "Due to the accident, her right arm bone was broken, and she underwent emergency surgery after the flesh was torn. She also had to receive a skin graft surgery afterward."

He continued, "(As a result) my mother’s liver and eyesight have deteriorated, and because the antibiotics are strong, she is constantly drowsy, making daily life difficult, and she is even suffering from depression." He lamented, "Even small wounds can cause infections, but being bitten and having her skin torn to shreds by the dog, I cannot even begin to imagine the pain she is enduring."

He added, "After being discharged from the hospital after a month and a half, my mother’s arm, which she used normally, cannot be used freely, and even if she recovers, it will take a long time, and it is uncertain whether she will be able to use it normally as before." He said, "My mother, who lost hope in an instant due to the accident, spends each day in tears."

Mr. A also claimed, "Despite this accident, the dog owner has not shown a proactive attitude toward compensation."

He expressed his grievance, saying, "At first, the offending dog owner said they would cover all treatment and compensation and even help with the greenhouse work, but now they say, 'We have liability insurance for daily life, so the insurance company will handle it,' and have set a compensation amount they can pay, refusing to pay more."

He lamented, "The consolation money that can be received through the liability insurance is ridiculous compared to the time when life and death were at stake, the future hardships, trauma, and so on, and the compensation amount they proposed is also absurd."

He criticized, "If they could not manage the dog, they should not have raised it, and even though the dog was let off the leash several times, their response was insufficient." He added, "The dog owner even said it was not their fault and that they should not be held responsible for what the dog did."

He continued, "One moment of accident shattered one person's life, life and death were at stake, and the future and hope were trampled on." He raised his voice, saying, "I wonder if they would say such things if it were their parents or children who experienced this. I also raised a companion dog and love dogs very much, but I am really angry at the dog owner’s attitude."